Category: Synthetic Shakes and Shingles

Synthetic shake and shingles are polymer-based material, or a combination of plastic and rubber. They are used on roofs where homeowners desire the classic look of wood or natural slate, with the added benefits from the synthetic blends.

Synthetic roofs are relatively new to the residential roofing market, first arriving in the early 1990’s. Their durability, environment friendly and affordability have all contributed to their rising success.

Costs

For installation on an average (2,300 sq.ft.), non-complex roof, it costs between $4.50 and $7.00 per sq.ft. With the averaged sized home, this totals to $10,350 to $16,100. If the existing roof needs to be torn off first, this can cost $2,250 to $3,500 more.

A complex roof with multiple roof angles, dormers, or greater pitch would add to labor charges. How much this adds depends on the contractor, the unique roof layout and other factors we’ll cover below.

Cost of Materials

Composite shingles and fake composite slate cost virtually the same. Formation is done via a molding process to ensure it resembles wood or stone, as the case may be.

The material is fairly light at about 1.25 pounds per tile, so essentially all roof types can handle such installation. The tiles can easily be cut on-site with a utility knife and are attached as simply as using a nail gun.

An asphalt shingle roofer ought to have the skills to properly install synthetic shake and shingle roofing.

Breaking Down Costs Into Specific Examples

With any home improvement project being handled by qualified professionals, it is in your best interest to get more than one quote, or preferably between three and seven.

The quoted figures they give you will either be total installation charges (one price for everything) or they’ll ideally itemize each cost so you can better compare their rates to the competition. For the example below, we ballpark certain figures as particular items, like building permits and disposal fees vary by region.

Factors That Contribute To Overall Cost

While material costs are roughly the same between composite shingles and fake slate, the material costs will be based on manufacturer and distributor pricing. Usually, roofing contractors purchase product at wholesale through established distributors. There are a number of manufacturers in the marketplace, and the popular ones are: